COI-Report-Somalia

EASO Country of Origin Information report — South and Central Somalia — Country overview — 33
Very few Somalis have private internet (via dial‐up or satellite), but internet cafés are found everywhere in towns ( 172 ).
On 9 January 2014, Al‐Shabaab banned the use of internet through mobile phones (two months later it banned
mobile phones with cameras ( 173 )) and fibre optic cables in areas under their control, on suspicion of ‘working
with the enemy’ ( 174 ). As a result, 3G networks nationwide were turned off. In April 2014, however, fast fibre optic
connections have been rolled out in Mogadishu - outside Al‐Shabaab control. This was the first time that videos
could be watched via internet ( 175 ).
1.6.3 Money transfer
Since 2010, a Mobile Money Transfer System (MMT) called ZAAD (based on the Kenyan M‐Pesa and provided
by Hormuud) has become a popular and safe method of payment. After registering and uploading money on
one’s account, payment via mobile phone (with PIN code) is possible, for example at markets, in taxis, shops, and
companies ( 176 ).
Up to USD 1.6 billion in remittances are sent annually to Somalia through the most popular and most reliable money
transfer system (MTS), called hawala ( 177 ). The largest money transfer company is Dahabshiil, which is the only one
in Somalia left with a bank account, with Barclays. In June 2013, this bank announced that it was going to close the
accounts of hundreds of money transfer businesses, including Africa’s largest, Dahabshiil, for fear of money laundering
and funding terrorism. Many (inter)national NGOs using Dahabshiil (such as Oxfam) argued that this would cut off
the country completely from remittances, donations and project subsidies ( 178 ). On 5 November 2013, Dahabshiil
won an injunction at the High Court in the United Kingdom, which was in April 2014 followed by an agreement with
Barclays giving Dahabshiil a transition period in order to find alternative banking arrangements ( 179 ). The UN Security
Council concludes: ‘Irrespective of the outcome, the Dahabshiil case serves to highlight the continuing fragility of
the Somali money transfer sector and the urgent need to bring existing money transfer operations into compliance
with international regulations on the prevention of money‐laundering and the financing of counter‐terrorism.’ ( 180 )
1.7 Health care
According to the World Bank (2014), ‘access to health services is poor even by Sub‐Saharan standards. Life expectancy
at birth is 51 years and infant mortality rates are estimated to be 108 deaths per 1 000 live births i.e. one in every
ten children dies in the first year (UNICEF). In 2009, there were an estimated 625 health posts and 225 maternal
and child health centres in Somalia. Assuming a population of nine million, this amounts to just one health post
per 15 200 people. What existing services exist, are provided by the private sector, including pharmacies and drug
stores, which may account for high service fees.’ ( 181 )
Somalia’s public healthcare system was largely destroyed during the ongoing civil war. There is no legal framework
for health care, no central food and drug administration, and most infrastructures have been destroyed over the
years ( 182 ).
( 172 ) BBC, Somalia’s ambitions online could bring Mogadishu to the world, 23 October 2012 (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-19961266) accessed 16 May 2014.;
Internet World Stats (http://www.internetworldstats.com/africa.htm) accessed 16 May 2014.
( 173 ) Sabahionline, Somalia: Al‐Shabaab Confiscates Camera‐Equipped Mobile Phones in Barawe, 18 March 2014 (http://sabahionline.com/en_GB/articles/hoa/
articles/features/2014/03/18/feature-01) accessed 20 June 2014.
( 174 ) Al Jazeera, Al‐Shabab bans internet in Somalia, 9 January 2014 (http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2014/01/al‐shabab‐bans‐internet‐somalia-20141981213614575.html)
accessed 19 May 2014.
( 175 ) BBC, Somalia in high speed internet ‘culture shock’, 10 April 2014 (http://www.bbc.com/news/world‐africa-26973587) accessed 19 May 2014.
( 176 ) Standard Digital News, Telecoms firm draws militia’s ire in Somalia, 26 June 2012 (http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/business/article/2000060626/
telecoms‐firm‐draws‐militia‐s‐ire‐in‐somalia) accessed 20 May 2014; Reuters, Mobile transfers save money and lives in Somalia, 3 March 2010 (http://www.
reuters.com/article/2010/03/03/us‐somalia‐mobiles‐idUSTRE6222BY20100303) accessed 20 May 2014; for more information, see: MobileMoneyAfrica
(http://mobilemoneyafrica.com/) accessed 20 May 2014.
( 177 ) CIA, The World Factbook – Somalia, last updated 16 April 2014 (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the‐world‐factbook/geos/so.html) accessed
16 May 2014. For the role of the Diaspora in sending remittances, see: Hammond, L. et al., Cash and Compassion - the role of the Somali diaspora in relief,
development and peace‐building, UNDP, December 2011 (http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/13076/1/Cash_and_compassion_final.pdf) accessed 19 May 2014, p. 51.
( 178 ) Biztech, Race is on to save UK‐Somali remittance lifeline, 25 June 2013 (http://www.biztechafrica.com/article/race‐save‐uk‐somali‐remittance‐lifeline/6314/#.
U3pG5Vh_tg8) accessed 19 May 2014.
( 179 ) The Wall Street Journal, Barclays Settles Dispute With Money Transfer Company Dahabshiil, 16 April 2014 (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB1000142
4052702304626304579505661804336976), accessed 5 August 2014
( 180 ) UN Security Council, Report of the Secretary‐General on Somalia (S/2014/140), 3 March 2014 (http://www.refworld.org/docid/531ef31f4.html) accessed
19 May 2014.
( 181 ) World Bank, Somalia Overview, last updated 4 April 2014 (http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/somalia/overview) accessed 29 May 2014.
( 182 ) IRIN, Building health systems from scratch in Somalia, 26 April 2013 (http://www.irinnews.org/fr/report/97927/building‐health‐systems‐from‐scratch‐in‐somalia)
accessed 15 May 2014.